


The Wings of The Seraph

by StandinShadow



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Seraph of The End Fusion, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Basically Everything Above Is In The First Chapter, Child Death, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Keith (Voltron) Angst, Korean Keith (Voltron), Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lotor Being Creepy, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-31 07:29:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12127542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StandinShadow/pseuds/StandinShadow
Summary: 500 years ago, humans discovered the existence of Vampires and it’s been a slow building war for land ever since. 20 years a virus that only seemed to affect those over 18 began to plague America, leaving thousands of children with no families.No one saw a connection until it was too late, and Lance and Keith suffer the consequences.Or a Seraph At The End AU.





	The Wings of The Seraph

500 years ago, humans discovered the existence of Vampires and it’s been a slow building war for land ever since. 20 years a virus that only seemed to affect those over 18 began to plague America, leaving thousands of children with no families.

No one saw a connection until it was too late.

***

“Hey, you must be the new kid,” a voice calls as the door opens to a boy who looks around his age, though he’s a bit taller than most kids their age. Keith is surprised. He’s used to kids who look like him, small and thin from a lack of food. Maybe this orphanage won’t be so bad until Shiro can come and get him. Food is hard to get if someone’s not with a family. The boy has curly brown hair that falls across his forehead, and his smile is soft. Keith isn’t used to that from anybody but Shiro and he glances down at the floor, bangs falling across his forehead and creating shadows across his face to hide his nervousness. Keith hugs his oversized red hoodie to his chest and hopes nobody notices how scared he is. “I’m Lance Ramirez.”

Keith finally looks up at him, gaze tight and anxious as he glances around the room as though looking for enemies. Lance opens his mouth and closes it, and Keith can practically see the question in his eyes. ‘Have you seen vampires?’ . But Lance doesn’t ask, so Keith asks instead. “Keith Kim. Are you the leader around here?”

“I’m 12, so I’m the oldest kid here. I guess that makes me the leader?” Lance answers with an easy shrug, taking a step toward Keith and holding out a hand. Keith glares down at it and wonders if Lance is going to try and punch him. That happened twice at his last group home. Lance blinks a little and then grabs Keith’s hand and starts shaking his arm up and down. After a second Keith starts shaking his arm too, because oh yeah, that’s what Shiro does when he meets someone in charge. Keith’s expression softens a little from the tight look he had when he first walked in the room.

“I’m 12 too,” Keith mutters in a soft voice, glancing up at Lance nervously. Lance gives him a small smile, and Keith feels a bit of relief at it. Maybe he’ll actually fit in here. Keith gives Lance a once over, eyes widening in surprise as he takes in his khaki shorts and long-sleeved sky blue shirt with a navy blue plaid short-sleeved shirt over it. It’s not the sweatshirt and white shorts uniform of everyone else at the orphanage has, the only difference being the colors. Why did Lance get a special outfit? “Did you lose your parents to the vampires or the sickness?”

“Neither, my parents sent all of us to separate orphanages so we’d all be safe,” Lance answers as some of the younger kids start to walk over. A boy, who’s about 5 and a half, is holding his toy sword in front of him, messy black curls falling across his forehead as he stares over at them. A girl around 7 and adorable, comes over a second later, her dark brown braid bouncing across her shoulders as she stares at Lance in awe. Keith knows he’s mirroring her expression because did Lance just say he had parents? Who were _alive_? “They’re hiding out in the countryside until the virus gets figured out. And This little girl is Maiko, and the boy next to you is Leo, the one making her way over is his sister Ana.”

“You have parents?” Maiko asks with wide eyes as she grabs the bottom of Lance’s sleeve. Her gaze is soft and jealous. Next to her, Leo nods and gives a knowing look. Keith makes the same expression, mouth falling into a small ‘o’ and eyes going wide. Ana, Leo’s twin sister, makes her way over after a minute with a baseball under her arm, patting Keith on the arm as though to comfort him. Keith glances down and gives her a small half-smile.

“Yeah, I know I’m lucky,” Lance says with a small smile as he pats her on the head, gaze wistful and a little sheepish. Keith wonders if he misses his siblings as much as Keith misses Shiro. He’s never had someone to miss before to compare. “And the one over there with the stuffed animals is Michael. We’re all family.”

“I thought you said you’re family all got separated,” Keith mutters, cocking his head in confusion as he glances over at Michael, whose waving a stuffed dragon in the air. He’s tall but looks young, hazel eyes glowing excitedly as he glances over at Keith. Keith gives him an awkward wave before turning back to Lance with scrunched eyebrows.

“They’re my family, but the kids here are all a family too,” Lance explains with a wide grin as he suddenly slides his arm around Keith’s shoulder. Keith stiffens but then relaxes, because it’s not that bad. Plus Shiro told him to make friends here.

“I … Takashi Shirogane of the Imperial Army is my family. He took me in after the war started,” Keith says quietly, not adding it was because his mother disappeared shortly after he was born or that his father called him a demon. Most orphans were because of the virus. Keith’s an orphan because his parents decided he was evil. He doesn’t really like to spread that around. “I didn’t have a family before him and I don’t need one besides him.”

“Okay then, but everyone could use more family, or at least more friends,” Lance tells him with a small shrug, one of his sleeves riding up on his arm a little bit. Keith shakes his head a little bit, because the more people you care about, the less you can devote yourself to the mission. And Keith’s known he’s going to join the army since he was 5. There’s nothing else for him.

Lance stares at Keith and narrows his eyes, brushing one hand under his chin thoughtfully. Keith feels like he’s being sized up and worries he’ll be found wanting. Then Lance grabs his arm, pulling him along across the main playroom of the orphanage like he didn’t just meet Keith fifteen minutes ago. Keith stumbles after him, hoodie sliding across his hand as he nearly crashes into Lance’s back. Lance turns around and raises an eyebrow, smirking like Keith is the one acting weird. “What are you doing?”

“You’re gonna play checkers with me,” Lance says back with a small shrug. Keith blinks owlishly, biting his lip for a moment before he lets Lance drag him to the table. Lance hands him the red checkers with a grin, and Keith returns it with a small, unsure smile of his own. He’s never had friends before. But maybe 12 isn’t a bad time to start and it’s just one game of checkers.

One game of checkers turns into daily board games and video games, Lance dragging Keith over to the table or the couch or meal times until Keith finally starts coming on his own. Keith’s nervous at first, at the way they kids circle him, all bright eyes and 100 questions about the military, most of which Keith doesn’t have answers for. Shiro kept him pretty sheltered. But as the months pass so do the questions, and Keith gets used to having other people around. Keith helps braid Maiko’s hair and makes Leo lunch and teaches Ana the right way to throw a ball (and then Lance teaches them both the _actual_ right way).

Keith doesn’t know when he stops thinking of this place as temporary and starts thinking of it as home. Maybe the first time Lance catches him trying to sneak on the roof to get fresh air after three months of none. Lance had sat next to him on the windowsill for a few minutes, staring out at the streets neither of them was allowed to walk anymore. Then Lance pulled him back inside, handing him one of the starched white blankets they’re given each week. Lance started sleeping in the cot next to Keith’s after that. That had been six months ago.

“Okay, Leo, you hold your arm like this and then you swing,” Keith says as he holds the younger boy’s shoulders, aiming his toy sword forward so it hits one of their oversized stuffed bears square in the chest. Leo grins widely, eyes sparkling as he looks back up at Keith. Keith laughs softly as the other boy knocks over the bear with an excited cheer and waves his wooden sword in the air. “Yeah, you killed the vamp! But oh, we need to duck!”

“You’re good with him for someone who doesn’t want a little brother,” Lance murmurs as he walks over to them, Leo diving onto the floor. Keith gives Lance a knowing look before he drops one of the blankets on top of Leo. He pouts up at them both, but Lance just points over to where Ana and Maiko are fast asleep, and Michael is quickly getting there. Leo lets out a small yawn of defeat as Keith leans over to ruffle his hair. They have an 8 PM bedtime for a reason.

“They’re … not so bad,” Keith admits as he and Lance carefully walk to the other room, sitting in the small space between the kitchen and the living room. The woman who comes to deliver their meals and blankets in the evenings, Mrs. Smith, isn’t there tonight. Keith frowns, crossing his arms a little as Lance runs a reassuring hand down his arm. Keith’s glances up at him with a small smile. “Neither are you.”

“Thanks, Keith,” Lance says as he sits down on the couch, shaking his head a little as he raises an eyebrow. Keith frowns a little and then sighs, running one hand through his hair with a low groan. Had he said it wrong _again_?

“You know what I mean!” Keith snaps without any real heat behind it as he slides onto the worn couch next to Lance, picking at one of the loose coral threads on the cushions. The couch was starting to fall apart. Keith glances over at Lance, gaze softening as he takes in his friend’s warm smile, the reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You’re all … you’re my friends.”

“Yeah, yeah we are,” Lance agrees in a soft voice, bumping shoulders with Keith. A moment passes where neither of them say anything, the air in the room at once both awkward and sentimental. Keith starts to fidget a little next to Lance, crossing his arms against his chest. Lance snorts softly, suddenly leaning forward with his elbows on his knees as he glances over at Keith out of the corner of his eye. “Do you want to play video games when the kids take their nap?”

“Yeah! Zelda?” Keith asks with a crooked grin, some of the tension going out of him as they grab the controllers. Though he still senses that something is wrong, glancing at the barred windows and locked doors again and again as Lance sets up the game. Something is wrong, Keith knows it.

They’re halfway through the opening credits of the game when the windows start to shake. Keith jumps from the couch, darting to the kitchen as quickly as he can, Lance hot on his heels. Keith grabs one of the knives from the kitchen set and holds it out as he walks towards the shaking wall. Lance is behind him, holding up his hands in tight fists, body shaking a little. He’s never been in a fight before. Keith doesn’t want him to have to start tonight.

The first window shatters with a loud screech, a tall man diving through it as shards fly across the room. Keith feels one of them clip his right leg, but ignores it as he leaps forward, knife out and swinging. The other man’s eyes widen, grinning wider so Keith can see the gleaming fangs in his mouth. Vampire. Keith feels his blood run cold even as he still dives at the other man again, kicking him with his leg as the knife clatters to the floor when Keith drops it. The vampire stumbles, letting out a surprised yelp that makes Keith smirk. Maybe he can win.

That thought dies as quickly as it came, the Vampire lifting Keith up with one hand and wraps him under his arm, holding him there with one firm arm like Keith is nothing. Keith flails under his hand, eyes widening as he Lance stalk toward them with his fists up. No. “Lance, take the kids and run!”

“Not without you!” Lance snaps as he runs toward Keith, not even getting more than a few feet before another vampire, a young woman with a high black ponytail and slasher smile, leaps into the room and knocks him off his feet. Keith struggles under the man’s hand, but isn’t able to slide more than inch either direction as three more women slide through the broken glass.

The kids are led out one by one, scared and crying. A dark-haired vampire with a bobbed haircut lets Michael keep his stuffed dragon. Keith shoots her a dark look that she returns, gaze just a touch heavier than the others. It’s almost enough to make him wonder if some vampires keep their feelings after all. Almost. Keith is dragged across the floor and down the stairs a few seconds later, shoved into the back of a truck with the rest of the kids. Keith feels younger than he has in months, curling next to Lance as Leo presses a head on his shoulder and Ana and Michael cuddle up against Lance, Maiko between them.

“Now we’re all vampire food.” Keith mutters softly, gazing down at the cold steel floor of the truck. He wonders if Shiro will look for him, if he’ll even hear about it. The orphanage they were staying at was one of dozens in the city. Keith feels Lance bump his shoulder and glances over at him, gaze heavy with guilt. He sees it reflected back in Lance’s eyes and knows they’re thinking the same thing. If only they were stronger, faster, if Keith’s instincts had kicked in a little earlier. They could’ve saved them.

“At least we’re together,” Lance finally says instead, throwing one arm over Keith’s shoulder and pulling Keith toward him. Keith nods against his shoulder, letting his eyes fall shut as he feels Lance’s head press against the top of his. If Keith has to live in hell ,he’s glad he’s with his family.

* * *

Lance leans against one of the stonewalls of the city, watching as the kids walk through the checkpoint. He and Maiko and Michael we’re in the first group today, and now they’re sitting on the floor playing with wooden dolls. The white T-shirts and matching white shorts, both lined with black piped lining at the edge of their shorts and sleeves matching the black band tied around their neck. In some ways, being in the vampire city isn’t that different from being in the orphanage.

Every morning they go through a health check, sometimes with blood being taken, sometimes not, and then as long as they stay out of the vampires’ way, they mostly leave them alone. They let Keith and Lance and the other four kids all stay together, at least, in a small wooden house in the eastern part of the kids’ quarters. Lance … Lance doesn’t know why they’re here though, what the vampires want from them. That’s the scary part.

“We’ve already been here for over two years, and everyday is the same,” Lance mutters as Keith walks over, Ana and Leo right behind him holding hands. Keith kneels down and hands one of them a piece of chalk from his pocket, one of the few toys the vampires provide that they don’t look like they’re from 500 years ago. Keith raises an eyebrow as he stands up and leans against the wall next to Lance. “It’s like they’re trying to push us into complacency.”

“I bet they are,” Keith says, voice tight as he glances across the wall at the several miles of doors and halls curving below them. They keep all the kids on the higher levels. Lance guesses it’s so they can’t escape, though he doesn’t know if it would be any easier if they were closer to the ground. Vampires are faster and stronger than all of them, even now that they’re 15 instead of 12.

Lance looks up at Keith and finds the other boy staring at the curving walls and rickety ladders to the rooftops. He wonders if today will be one of the days he finds Keith hanging off of one trying to get apples from one of the nearby trees. Keith could never get quite close enough. They could never get close enough to anything in Vampire City. And Lance, well he’s at his wits end with it. He wants out. “So what should we do about it?”

“We just gotta survive, Lance, and get back to the army,” Keith finally says with a shrug as he steps back from the wall. Lance glares at his back for a second before running over to his side, glancing back quickly to make sure the others are following them.

“Keith, keep it down!” Lance whispers as he grabs his arms, glancing around the wall to make sure none of the vampires were around. Luckily it looks like they’re all alone, for now. Keith looks back at him in surprise, somehow, mouth forming into a small ‘o’ and eyebrows scrunched together as he stares back at Lance. Lance lets out a small sigh, shaking his head a little as he nods toward the guards at the end of the wall. “We can’t be caught talking about the army in here. You know that.”

“I know, I know, but I’m gonna take care of it,” Keith whispers back, gaze determined as he stares back at Lance. Ever since they first got here almost three years ago, Keith’s been insistent that they’d find their way out and then join the army. Lance worries sometimes Keith has become too focused on that dream, on being reunited with Shiro and saving the world, but maybe it’s good that Keith has something to keep him tethered.

“You’re gonna take care of it? How?” Lance asks, because while he wants Keith to keep his dream, they need some kind of plan if they’re going to keep talking about it outside of their two-room house. Lance is distracted by a sudden cry, and he turns on his heel to find one of the vampires holding Maiko up, expression curious but with no real feeling. Lotor, one of the nobles, and a Grade A Creep. Lance feels horror creeping into his chest as Lotor starts to squeeze her fingers tighter and tighter, color draining from Maiko’s face. “Hey!”

“Hey! Let go of her!” Keith snaps as he lunges forward, too suddenly for Lance to grab him by the forearms and hold him back like he did other times. Keith kicks Lotor in the shin, swift and hard, and Lotor bends over a little in surprise, dropping Maiko to the ground. She scurries over to Ana and Michael, the younger boy grabbing her tightly as they both stare over in fear. Lotor gives Keith a long blank look, gaze narrowing and then he smirks and grabs Keith by the waist. Fuck.

“Keith!” Lance cries as Lotor lifts Keith in the air like a sack of potatoes. Well, a sack of potatoes fidgeting in his arms and trying fruitlessly to kick him. Keith’s lips are pursed and his gaze wild with anxiety, and Lance knows that look, knows Keith’s single-minded focus when he’s scared or lost. Usually it’s a good thing. Right now Lance thinks it’s going to get Keith thrown over the wall. “Please let go of him, he’s not actually that much of a brat. He’s just impulsive, but he’s really sorry.”

“No I’m not, your asshole guard almost broke Maiko’s fingers,” Keith shouts at Lotor, expression righteous as he kicks forward again. He grazes the edge of Lotor’s coat this time, leaving a small grey smudge on the lilac bell sleeve. Lotor glances down at it and raises an eyebrow, cocking his head a little as though he’s never seen a stain before.

Lotor holds Keith up higher, giving him a calculating look, taking one step closer to the wall and dangling Keith over the edge of it. Keith looks down defiantly, though Lance can see how his eyes are flickering from here. Lotor suddenly pulls him back, holding Keith closer to him, and Keith _hisses_ in Lotor’s face. “Keith!”

“It’s all right, little human, you’re friend here is quite strong-willed,” Lotor murmurs with a wide smile, voice just a little too sweet to be real. Lotor leans over and ruffles Keith’s hair, and that makes Keith still in his grip. As far as Lance knows, Keith only lets him and the other kids (and probably Shiro) touch him. Keith looks like a ragdoll as Lotor pats his head a gain; swiftly dodging the kick Keith sends his way this time. Lance wonders if he let Keith kick him before. “I think it’s cute, he’s a bit like a cat. I’ve wanted a pet for awhile now.”

“I’m not a pet!” Keith says in a harsh beat, arms flailing as Lotor lifts him up high in the air suddenly, only to gently set Keith down on the ground. Keith stares up at Lotor, balling his hands up into fists. Lance hurries to his side before he can do anything else stupid, grabbing one of Keith’s arms. Lotor lets out a small laugh, a twinkle in his gaze that makes them both shiver as he starts back on his path down the bridge.

Lotor stops a few steps ahead of them, glancing back with that same Cheshire grin as before. He gives Keith a thoughtful once over. Keith glances down at the ground with a heavy gaze and a tight frown, and Lance curls closer to him. Leo hurries to his other side, grabbing his sleeve as though he can protect Keith (none of them can). “Not yet.”

“You could try and be a little more careful, Keith,” Lance mutters hotly once Lotor disappears down one of the winding staircases into the city proper, the six of them making the slow march back to their little house. Lance had wanted excitement, but not like that.

Keith crosses his arms, pulling Lance closer to him as a result, letting out a small huff. “I was protecting Maiko!”

“You need to think about the bigger picture,” Lance whispers angrily, glancing down to where the kids are in front of them, all four of them holding hands. He and Keith try to keep them from hearing these conversations, but Lance knows deep down they’ve heard them all. There is no true innocence in Vampire City. Not for very long. Lance still wants to preserve what’s left of theirs and Keith’s anyway. “I can’t believe I have to tell you that.”

“You don’t,” Keith murmurs softly as he glances back at the winding staircase with a thoughtful gaze. Lance doesn’t know why, since he’s the one always telling Keith to think things through, but he doesn’t like that look at all. He hurries them back to their house and makes Keith study with him until the fears calm down.

They don’t go away though. Not when Keith starts disappearing for up to two to three hours without warning, coming back pale and a little drawn and refusing to meet anyone’s eyes. It’s not like Keith hasn’t always needed a little bit of alone time, but he used to just go to the roof or the courtyard closest to their sets of houses. Places Lance and the kids could find him if they needed anything or if they just got worried Keith forgot to eat again.

Now Keith just looks away when Lance asks him where he’s been, face ridden with guilt and anxiety. Keith’s never had much of a poker face, but Lance can’t know why Keith’s feeling that way unless Keith gives him a reason. Then Lance sees Lotor and Keith in the ally one day and suddenly Lance has his reason. He just really wishes he didn’t. But there they are, Keith leaning against the stonewall with his neck bared and Lotor looming over him. Lance numbs himself as he watches Lotor slide his fangs into Keith’s neck. Guess that explains Keith’s recent exhaustion.

Lotor licks his lips dry after a few minutes and ruffles Keith’s hair again, laughing slightly when Keith tries to turn his head away. Lotor drops the bag that was over his shoulder in Keith’s hands with another pat. Lance is about to walk away when suddenly Lotor looks at him and smirks. Then he’s gone from sight. Lance rushes into the alley before he can stop him, grabbing Keith by the shoulders and shaking him so hard Keith’s head jerks back. “What the fuck Keith?”

“You’re not supposed to say that,” Keith mumbles after a beat, frowning a little and scrunching his eyebrows together. They’ve kept the ‘no cursing’ rule up since the orphanage to try and have a sense of normalcy, but seriously, now is not the time.

“Yeah, not really the issue we should be focusing on here,” Lance snaps as he shakes Keith again, though a little hard this time. Keith looks down, not meeting Lance’s gaze. Lance can see the tears prickling behind Keith’s eyes as he bites his lip, but Keith swipes them away before they can fall. The sense of confusion is heavy in the air and almost enough to overwhelm Lance’s fear, but not enough. He needs answers. He needs Keith to stop letting Lotor drink his blood. “What happened to not wanting to be a pet?”

“I got meat,” Keith says suddenly, holding the bag up with a crooked half-smile. Lance stares at the bag, mouth opening in surprise for a second, because they haven’t had any protein except the occasional jar of peanut butter in the past three years. Then Lance shakes himself out of it, because who gives a damn about meat?

“What?” Lance says angrily, pressing his hands against his hips as he leans forward so he and Keith are nose to nose. He glares tightly and Keith returns it, crossing his arms defensively. “You’re risking your life for better food? Are you kidding me?”

Keith shakes his head, and some of the harshness goes out of his gaze. Keith uncrosses his arms, taking Lance’s hand with one of his own and holding it tightly. Lance would be blushing if he wasn’t so pissed off at Keith right now. “Not just for me, for all of us, and medicine. The healthier and in better shape we are, the better chance we have of getting out of here and back to Shiro. You need to think about the bigger picture.”

“And you need to think about reality! Lotor is dangerous, you can’t trust him!” Lance shouts as he squeezes Keith’s hand, grabbing the free one with his other hand to try and reason with Keith. Keith’s always been a kinetic learner, always gotten things better through touch.

Keith lets out a low groan, shaking his head a little bit as he rolls his eyes. Keith almost looks offended, as though _Lance_ is the one being unreasonable here. Keith squeezes his hands softly, but his words are determined and tight in that way that means there’s no reasoning with Keith. “I don’t trust him, but if him taking my blood will help us and the army –“

“It’s not, you’re just doing something stupid without asking first, like always,” Lance snaps as he wrenches his hands away from Keith. Keith’s face falls, biting his lip as eyebrows slope down and Lance wants to reach out and hug him. But no, Keith doesn’t deserve that right now, not when he’s risking his own life for idiotic reasons. Lance walks away without a word. Keith doesn’t follow.

* * *

“Lance! Keith got us chicken,” Ana calls out when Lance arrives back from his hour long walk along the castle walls, her curls bouncing against her shoulders as leans forward excitedly. Keith glances up from where he’s standing by their stovetop, oven mitts on and chicken in a pan. Keith wonders if he should’ve used any seasoning. Keith is … he’s a much better cook now, but Keith could survive on dirt without knowing the difference. Lance has higher standards for his food.

“That’s great, Ana,” Lance says tonelessly, glancing at Keith with a hard look as Keith remembers that Lance knows exactly where the meat is from and why. Keith got it by selling his blood to the most manipulative vampire in the city. Keith still thinks Lance should be smart and eat it. “I already ate.”

“I know that’s not true, Lance,” Keith says with a tight look, crossing his arms a little as he lets out a small sigh. Ana gets up from her seat and runs up the ladder to the loft where the kids sleep, apparently sensing another fight coming. She’s always been smart. Keith gives Lance a soft, awkward smile, though the shame is heavy in his gaze, because he didn’t like this either. Lance just glares at him. “It’s really good and we need to keep our strength up.”

“Not all of us lose as much blood as you do,” Lances says after a minute, voice harsh and icy as he smirks over at Keith. The look on his face breaks Keith’s heart, the anger and the shame. Keith drops his spoon to the table with a soft thud that’s drowned out by his own soft gasp. Keith looks down as Lance turns to climb up the ladder, but he’s pretty sure Lance still sees the tears slide down his face.

“What was that about?” Michael asks as he comes downstairs from the loft, hugging his teddy bear to his chest with a small frown as he glances up at Keith. Michael is sweet, sensitive, and he always hates when Keith and Lance fight. Keith smiles softly and ruffles Michael’s hair, trying to connect the act to this instead of to Lotor.

“Nothing, we just fought earlier,” Keith assures him with a small grin, and after a minute Michael nods. The other kids seem assured too; Ana and Leo crawling down the ladder to sit near him. Maiko comes down after a moment, holding a book in her lap to use as a plate. They only have five. “Now tell me what you learned today.”

Keith listens to the kids’ stories about school, if you could call the makeshift lessons one of the older teens gave that. Maiko is reading chapter books now, the few they have here. Ana is excelling at Math, and Leo can already spell better than Lance and Keith. Lance’s heart swells with pride that’s quickly followed by pain when they describe the chicken Keith made them. Lance, Lance will understand why Keith did what he did. He’ll think it’s stupid, still a mistake, but … he’ll be wrong and that’s what matters. Keith can save them.

Keith glances up from where he’s sitting on the stone counter (It’s technically part of the wall, but it works) when he sees Lance climbing down the ladder Keith looks up, expression lost and arms crossed so tightly he knows it looks more like he’s hugging himself than that he’s annoyed. Keith glances over at Lance with a grimace, dropping his gaze to the floor. Lance groans as he sits down next to him, feet dangling just above the ground, but he still sits next to him.

“Hey Keith, look I wanted to say I’m sorry,” Lance says and Keith looks up with wide eyes, mouth open slightly in surprise. He’d expected forgiveness, not an apology. Lance gives him a lopsided smile; gaze warm as he puts a hand on Keith’s shoulder. Keith uncrosses his arms and gives Lance a hesitant nod to keep going, some of the anger gone from both of them. “I still think you’re being reckless giving Lotor blood, but I know you’re doing it for us.”

“For the family and for the mission,” Keith answers in a firm voice, though some of the tension goes out of his face as he leans toward Lance until their shoulders brush together.

Lance frowns at the quote like he always does, biting back a low groan. It’s not the first and surely won’t be the last time Lance heard Keith say it, because the lessons and words of the imperial army are always on the forefront of Keith’s mind. Keith doesn’t want to have this argument again, not when he has bigger plans now. Lance thinks it’s not good for someone as ‘sensitive’ (and what’s that supposed to mean?) and loyal as Keith, that it makes him have tunnel vision. Keith doesn’t know what happens if the tunnel turns out to be a dead end, that’s true. But that’s why he can’t let it be one. “You know you’re not actually part of the army right?”

“But I will be when we leave,” Keith says with a small smile, suddenly reaching over and grabbing Lance’s hand, lacing their fingers together. When Lance glances over at him, Keith knows that he’s blushing slightly, though his gaze is determined because blush or not, he needs to make himself clear. “C’mon Lance, after everything we’ve been through here, can you honestly say you wouldn’t? We need to save the world as much as anyone else.”

“I would, to protect the kids,” Lance admits with a shrug, eyebrows sloping down at the thought. Keith knows Lance isn’t one for violence, but Lance also isn’t stupid enough not to think that behind the barricades of the army isn’t the safest place for all of them, and the army would want something in return for their investment. Few people do things for free, except maybe Shiro. Keith knows that now. “And keep you from doing something stupid.”

“Wow, do you want this chicken or not?” Keith drawls as he holds back the plate still sitting on the counter. Keith holds it out with one arm outstretched, as though Lance isn’t taller than Keith and can’t just snatch it away from him.

“Fine, fine,” Lance mumbles as he dramatically presses a hand to his heart, and Keith hides a grin with his free hand. Keith scoffs and pushes the plate of chicken in his lap. Lance takes a large bite, and Keith smiles when he sees the way Lance’s face lights up at the flavor. “How much longer are you planning on giving Lotor your blood though, Keith? It’s not safe and you’re not exactly good at hiding the fact you hate his guts.”

Keith glances up at him with a small smile, squeezing the hand not filled with chicken softly. Right, the silver haired elephant in the room. “Tonight was the last night.”

“Good,” Lance says with a sigh of relief, pulling Keith closer even though there’s barely room between them now. Keith doesn’t mind, soaking up the affection in Lance’s gaze since he knows it’s going to go back to shocked and maybe angry in about a minute.

“Because tomorrow we’re getting out of here,” Keith says with a smirk as he glances up at Lance from where he’s leaning against his shoulder, smirking confidently. Lance stares back at him with a bright smile, starting to nod when his face suddenly goes blank. Lance looks at Keith and then around their house, as though trying to find an answer there, before his gaze finally lands back on Keith.

“What’re you talking about?” Lance asks, voice rising on the last word as he looks over at Keith with scrunched eyebrows. Keith smiles wider than he usually does, bordering on manic, and pulls out a long sheet of taupe paper. He unfolds it in front of Lance, letting the designs and careful lines speak for themselves. Lance’s eyes widen further, lips pressing together tightly for a moment. “What is this?”

“Lotor gave me a map,” Keith answers with a small nod as Lance glances back at him, understanding his gaze. Keith goes back to the bag and pulls out the small silver weapon, sliding it toward Lance with a raised eyebrow. He hopes Lance likes his present. “And I stole this for you.”

“Holy shit Keith, this is a gun!” Lance shouts and then immediately drops his voice, glancing back up at the loft nervously. Keith follows his gaze, because he hasn’t decided how to tell the kids yet. Not like this though. Luckily none of the kids seemed to wake up, and Keith lets out a raspy breath. Lance is holding the gun gingerly, glancing at like he’s afraid it might go off at any moment. Keith thinks Lance doesn’t like it after all.

“You were always good at shooting clay pigeons at the orphanage and using a slingshot here, I’m bad at it,” Keith explains in a firm voice, doing his best to keep his emotions out of his voice. Right now calls for pragmatism, and Keith can be just as pragmatic, if not more, as Lance when he needs to be. Like now. “We’d have to decide if we’re taking the kids, it’s dangerous.”

“It’s all of us or none of us, Keith,” Lance says as he leans forward, gently poking Keith in the chest. His gaze is torn, half of him looking hopeful and longing, his other family maybe still waiting on the other side, and the other half looking scared. Keith can’t really blame him. “You don’t get to do something this stupid by yourself. Keith, this plan is … this is risky, even for you.”

“I know,” Keith admits with a small smile, crooked and weak. Keith is terrified, but he needs to get out of here. He needs to get back to Shiro. “But this is our only chance. If any of us are able to get out and get to the army, it’s worth it.”

Lance stares at him blankly for a moment, and then his gaze drifts to the loft. Something distant and wistful enters his gaze for a moment, and then Lance turns his gaze back to Keith. His eyes are as determined as Keith’s, and Keith stands up with a slow smile. “You know what, yes it is.”

Keith nods, because they’re doing this and now they need to go. They don’t have time to wait here. Keith gets the kids up, telling them only to take what’s essential. Shoes and no toys, save Michael’s teddy bear all the way back from the orphanage. Keith’s pretty sure Leo snuck out a toy sword, but he decides to let that go. They walk along the walls, through tunnels Keith didn’t even know were there, crouching low to the ground with every step.

They see three guards on the way out, and at the last wall before the gates, one of them stares at where they are exactly. Keith holds a breath and glances back at Lance, who has the gun firmly between his fingers. They have a way out if they need it. But the guard turns and walks, and they run up the last wall to the surface above the caverns that make up the city. There, in front of them, are heavy cast iron gates locking them all in, except this time they’re open.

“Those are the gates, we’re going to be free,” Leo cries excitedly as they walk over the smooth marble floors, his sword flinging through the air. Lance catches it and raises an eyebrow at Leo, but the anger fades after a moment. The happiness is infectious, and Keith even feels himself smiling softly at everyone. They’re going home.

“What about the illness?” Lance asks, voice soft and gaze worried, as though it just occurred to him. It hadn’t occurred to Keith _at all_ , so he just throws an arm around Lance’s shoulder and squeezes it reassuringly.

“We’re just 15 and the kids are all under 12, and it only affects people who are finished with puberty,” Keith reminds him with a nod, because that gives them three years before they’d need to worry about catching it, and the kids more than that. Besides, Shiro never had it at all, and he was already almost 19 when Keith got sent to orphanage. That was pretty much post puberty. Probably. “Besides, the army might’ve cured it already. We’ll be fine.”

“Don’t count on it,” Lotor’s voice rings out suddenly and Keith feels his blood run cold.

* * *

“Shit,” Lance mutters as he watches Lotor leap down from the edge of the gate, several 100 feet at least. He still lands smoothly, not a hair out of place as he saunters toward them. Michael clutches at his legs, and to his right he sees Keith push Maiko behind him gently. Leo and Ana are between them and Lance tries to shove them back too. Lance wants to throw up; this is Keith’s idea but Lance was the one who agreed to it and made him take the kids. Now they’ve both led them to be punished, if they’re lucky.

“Did you children really think it would be that easy to leave here?” Lotor asks with a small, teasing laugh, glancing over at them one by one, smile growing brighter when he gets to Maiko and Keith. Maiko cowers and Keith bites his lip, gaze heavy with betrayal. Lance doesn’t know if it’s for Lotor or himself. “Though I do have to admit you all got much further than most of the children I’ve played this game with.”

Lance takes a deep breath as he meets Lotor’s gaze, pressing one hand against his hip. They need to focus on protecting the kids now, and Lance is better at diplomacy than Keith. Maybe, maybe he can get Lotor to send them back to their house with a warning. “What happens now?”

“What happens now? You’re amusing too,” Lotor murmurs with that twinkle that makes Lance shiver again. Keith stiffens next to him and then takes a step in front of Lance; glare tight as he looks up at Lotor. Lance almost expects Keith to try and punch him again, if not for the way Lance can see that Keith is shaking too. “Oh, Keith, did you think you were _special_? You really are so naïve. I might keep you after all.”

“You’re not keeping anyone!” Lance shouts as he suddenly whips his gun out of his pocket, pointing it at Lotor’s face. Maybe they can still get out of here after all, with the kids safe and Keith not kept on a leash as vampire food. Lance – he doesn’t want to kill anyone, but Lotor doesn’t really count as a someone. None of the vampires do.

“Keith, you grabbed a gun? You really are bold,” Lotor says; smile growing wider as he takes a step back from them, practically twirling in delight as he pulls out his sword. Right, Lance had forgotten about that. All he could was hope he can stay far enough away from Lotor not to get hit by it.

Next to him, Keith stares at him with bug eyes, pulling a kitchen knife from his own pocket, because of course Keith brought a knife. Keith is biting his lip, trying to step in front of Lance, but Lance keeps pulling him back. Keith isn’t the only one here who gets to sacrifice himself or try to for the good of the family. Lance is going to as well. “Lance, think about what you’re doing!”

“Yeah, we don’t really have time for that!” Lance shouts at Keith, and suddenly Keith nods, whatever else he was going to say lost to the look on Lance’s face. Keith turns toward the kids and lets out a small cry, guttural and broken as he glances over at them. Keith leans over and ruffles Leo’s and Maiko’s hair, and Lance doesn’t need to ask to know it’s a goodbye.

“Run! All of you need to run, Lance and I’ll handle Lotor,” Keith yells at the kids, gesturing toward the exit at the left side of the hall. Keith gives them a pleading look when they don’t move, eyes soft and tears starting to slowly drip down his cheeks. Lance nods at them too, mouthing ‘go’ softly. If Keith and Lance can’t be saved, at least everyone else can be. Lance doesn’t want to die, but that’s enough for him now.

The kids start racing toward the end of the hallway; until Lance can’t see them anymore, just hear the sound of their footsteps growing more and more faint. They’re going to make it -

“Oh, that is sweet. Generals, take care of the children for me,” Lotor calls suddenly, and Lance watches in slow growing horror as Zethrid and Ezor, two vampires Lotor turned years ago, jump from small nooks in the wall. He and Keith hadn’t even sensed them. They disappear down the hallway, swords out and Keith tries to run after them, only for Lotor to suddenly grab him by the waist.

“Lotor!” Keith cries, tears falling down his face in earnest as he grabs the edge of the other man’s coat with his hands. Keith voice is desperate and wrecked, mouth twisting as he pleads for compassion from a being that can’t even understand it. Lance wants to pull him away, to chase after the generals with his gun, but he feels outside of his body, not able to move or make a sound. “Please don’t!”

“Begging is beneath us, Keith,” Lotor mutters softly, ruffling Keith’s hair again while the kids start to scream, Michael’s teddy bear flying down the hallway. Lance takes a step forward, only for Lotor to hold him in place with his free hand. Fucking vampires. Lance lets out a scream, one that sounds dead even to his own ears. Lotor, he can’t, not even he could be this much of a monster. No.

“Why are you doing this? They didn’t do anything wrong!” Lance says, his voice sounding as raw as Keith’s did a few minutes ago, though instead of broken pleading he only hears rage in his own voice as he glares up at Lotor. Lotor grins back down at him, eyes flashing as he takes in Lance’s expression.

“They trusted the two of you,” Lotor says without emotion. Ana’s screams stop first, then Leo’s. Michael is next and Lance feels himself turning to ice again, the same way he did when he saw Lotor drinking from Keith yesterday. Maiko is last, voice dying out slowly and Lance sees Keith stop struggling when she finally stops screaming. There’s nothing left to fight for.

No. There’s still each other, there’s still the other side of the gate. Lance has a family there. Keith has Shiro. They’re getting out. Lotor moves the hand on Lance’s forehead to swipe at Keith’s tears, thinking Lance is no longer a threat, if he ever thought he was one. That’s Lotor’s mistake as Lance suddenly pulls the trigger, hitting Lotor’s arm up close. Lotor drops Keith with a loud cry, and Keith scrambles on the ground toward Lance.

“How brave of you, Lance,” Lotor murmurs before ripping his arm off like it’s a doll. The sound of bone crunching makes Lance shake, but he’s still pulling Keith to his feet. Keith glances at the door, holding his knife out thoughtfully. “I should have taken you on as a pet too.”

“I already said you’re not getting any pets,” Lance snaps as he takes a step back, gun out as he points it at Lotor. Keith jams his knife into Lotor’s leg and then pulls it out before leaping back to stand next to Lance, knife held out and dripping with blood. Keith looks shocked by it, and Lance wonders if Keith really understood war any better than he did before now, or if he just thought he did.

“I’m getting one,” Lotor murmurs with a grin as he pulls his sword from his waist with one hand, grinning widely as he turns it toward them. Lance’s hand is shaking as he fires, wincing when Lotor manages to dodge the bullets now that he doesn’t have the element of surprise. Lance runs backward; glaring at Keith who he knows is faster than him. Keith is holding himself back for Lance. Lance opens his mouth to yell at him, but then his mouth falls shut as he sees Lotor’s blade slide straight through Keith’s stomach.

Keith glances over at him with wide eyes, skin growing eerily pale as he stares at him. Keith’s voice is weak and too high when he speaks. “Lance, run!”

“I’m not leaving you!” Lance yells as he takes a step forward, holding his gun out shakily and pulling the trigger again, this time hitting Lotor square in the face. Lotor falls backward, body hitting the ground with a low thud. Lance grabs Keith’s arm and kneels down, slowly dragging him toward the gate. Keith pushes weakly at his hand, expression growing fainter with every inch they move. No. No. No. “Keith!”

“Go!” Keith cries, voice so weak Lance barely hears it. Lance stares down as Keith’s eyes close and he lets out another scream. Then he runs through the gate alone. ‘If any of us are able to get out, it’s worth’ rings in his ears mockingly. Keith was wrong. This isn’t worth it.

Lance runs and runs until he feels like his legs are going to come out, boots becoming soggy and heavy as he pushes through piles of snow he’s starting to turn red with the blood on his arms. Keith’s blood. Keith’s blood is all over him, Keith is – Lance runs right into a body, strong arms holding him in place as Lance kicks and screams, trying to push the person away from him. He won’t be taken back to the vampires, he won’t. But when Lance looks up at the face in front of him, he finds soft grey eyes instead of red, a green and black army uniform on the young man in front of him. The Imperial Army.

“You’re safe now,” The man murmurs as Lance slowly stops struggling, instead standing in the man’s half hug. Lance looks up at him with wide eyes, pulling on his coat a little. The next words out of his mouth make Lance want to cry and laugh at the same time (he’ll find out later he was doing both). “I’m Takashi Shirogane of the Imperial Army. Going by your outfit, I’m guessing you were one of the children the vampires kidnapped four years ago.”

“Takashi Shirogane? Shiro? I’m – I’m friends with Keith,” Lance tells him in a shaky voice, glancing up at Shiro’s kind face and worried gaze. He sees why Keith wanted to get back to him and wanted to get the kids to him. Shiro is the first kind face Lance has seen on someone besides their family in half a decade. “He – we were trying to escape.”

“Keith! Is he –“ Shiro starts and Lance’s face crumples at the hope and softness in his voice, the longing. Keith won’t be reunited with his big brother. Keith will never know that Shiro loved him back as much as Keith loved Shiro. It’s all his fault and it should be all of them, Keith and Ana and Leo and Maiko and Michael and Lance knows he’s screaming a little again. Shiro’s face falls, something broken entering his gaze even as his voice stays gentle. “Okay. Okay, here, we’ll get you to safety.”

“Then what?” Lance asks softly, as he pulls back from Shiro a little, taking the other man’s hand as they walk toward a heavily protected army van. He hasn’t felt this young in a long time.

“Then you can become a civilian, or if you want to, you can help me avenge Keith and your other friends by killing the vampires,” Shiro answers after a beat, bitterness tingeing his voice as he gazes back at the icy walls leading to the Vampire City. Lance nods wordlessly. He thinks they both already know what Lance will do.

****

Three and a half years later, Lance is 18 and one of the youngest members of the Moon Demon company. He’s known for being devoted to his squad and to their cause to the point of stupidity, and Lance always laughs a little because he knows it’s not really him. It’s Keith.. Lance pulls his hat down and holds out his gun with a determined look as he walks the streets alone. Lance will keep Keith’s dream alive and kill all the vampires. He will save the world.

It’s the least (all) he can do.

* * *

Across the ice and mountains, Keith stands on the walls of the Vampire City, gaze soft as he runs his tongue over his teeth. He will save Lance and Shiro, even if it’s from themselves. Keith will let the world burn if it means saving them alone.


End file.
